W Bengal govt denies before SC excesses at Nandigram

New Delhi, Feb 25 (UNI) The West Bengal government has denied before the Supreme Court all allegations regarding the reported excesses committed by the state administration including police in Nandigram where 14 people were killed in police firing in March last year.

A bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice R V Raveendran asked the counsel for the state government about the statement made by Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee in reference to the role of CPM cadres during Nandigram violence.

The counsel for the state virtually disowned the statement of the Chief Minister and responded by saying that it may be the personal view of the Chief Minister but it is not the view of the government.

Farmers in Nandigram have been opposing forcible acquisition of their agricultural land by the state government for setting up of a SEZ (Special Economic Zone).

The state government has come in appeal against Calcutta High Court order declaring that police firing in Nandigram was not justified.

The High Court ordered a CBI inquiry and also directed the state government to pay a compensation of five lakh each to the families of those killed in police firing.

The state government while denying the allegations had also taken a stand that it did not oppose CBI inquiry but the observations made by the High Court have virtually foreclosed the investigation by CBI as the investigating agency can not go beyond the findings of the High Court.

The Left Front government in the state has been under fire across the country for the role played by CPM goons at Nandigram. A large number of women were allegedly raped and villagers were forced to flee from their villages after being terrorised by CPM goons.

UNI AKS/SC SV RP DB1301